Uptown Swagga sweeps into new Wingbonz

Uptown Swagga with their live R&B sounds will sweep into Wingbonz Friday, however a quick check of the address reveals the popular Oakland Avenue eatery has found a second home across town in the former LongBranch building on Riverview Road near I-77 in Rock Hill.

Scott Howell, one of the club partners for Wingbonz. assures all that in addition to popular menu items, live music will be on the agenda for their Riverview Road site.

“Our main focus,” Howell said, “is to build things around what we are – a restaurant and we’re adding live music. We have a larger building to work into a whole new venue ... We’ll try not to pigeonhole any music styles and plan to spread interest ... from R&B, country, to jazz and rock. We’re aiming at a broad spectrum audience.”

A Rock Hill native, Howell began his career in Columbia, Savannah, and Atlanta but returned to this area 20 years ago to launch the original Wingbonz restaurant.

“We do wings – for 20 years,” Howell states, “we’re known for the size of the wings plus ... we make our own sauces and dressings. We have the best blue cheese dressing, anda tasty hamburger, that’s big, fat and fresh.”

Discover the live “go-go sound” and music energy of Uptown Swagga live for the R&B Mixer, Friday at the Wingbonz Restaurant (formerly The LongBranch), 761 Riverview Road in Rock Hill. For more details, call 803-327-3338 or visit wingbonz.com. For more on the music, check Facebook.

Music mix

Turn to the mix of classic rock, Southern rock, new country, R&B, with some 80's hair metal favorites thrown in for good measure from Almost Famous live Saturday, at the Pineville Tavern in Pineville.

Tried and true entertainers, AF is known for unleashing high octane rock a la Bad Company, Brother Cane, Molly Hatchet, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Fog Hat, and more. Expect to see a new drummer in their lineup for this show, specifically James Bramblet, according to a leak to us via John Hatchell, lead vocalist/guitarist. The band’s lineup is rounded out by Tim Shaw, keyboards/ vocals; Mike Mills, guitar/vocals and Robert Kirkland, bass.

Run with Almost Famous live Saturday at the Pineville Tavern, 314 North Polk Street, Pineville. Call 704-889-9464 for show info. Check Facebook for more on the music or go to wearealmostfamous.com

Upcoming

Friday: Chubby Knuckles at SandBar Grill, Rock Hill; Josh Sawyer at Luke’s Bar & Grill, Rock Hill; David Williams Acoustic at The Handle Bar Tavern, Catawba; M4 Messenger, Thirsty Horses at The Rabbit Hole, Charlotte; Randy Newman with Charlotte Symphony Pops at Belk Theater, Charlotte.

Saturday: Shotgun Saints at Luke’s Sports Bar & Grill, Rock Hill; Oneppo Brothers Band Sat. at John’s Place Fort Mill; Ole Town Criers at Original Empire Pizza, Rock Hill; Early Ray (Rayen Belchere) at The Rusty Rudder, Cornelius.

Tuesday: Queensryche, Meytle, Halcyon Way at Amos Southend, Charlotte.

This story was originally published January 14, 2016 at 3:16 PM with the headline "Uptown Swagga sweeps into new Wingbonz."